Latin School of Chicago

up front From the Head of School Dear Latin Community, As I am paging through this latest issue of Latin Magazine, the word balance comes to mind. Our job as educators is always a juggling act between providing the very real, concrete tools that will allow our students to succeed academically at Latin and beyond, and supporting them through a full range of life experiences that will allow them to grow into well-rounded individuals. The school recently had an opportunity to screen the critically acclaimed documentary Race to Nowhere. This film, which I highly recommend parents and educators see, very effectively brings to light the intense pressure to achieve that this society places on our young people and just how desperately kids need balance in their lives. Leaving the screening, I felt recommitted to never forgetting about a child���s emotional wellbeing as I consider his or her academic success. In the early pages of this magazine, you will read about both sides of this balance. You will view the list of academic recognitions and our graduation stories, but you also will learn about amazing, lifechanging service opportunities that our students experienced in Rwanda and China over the summer as well as the personal enrichment a number of our young artists achieve through the intensive self-reflection that goes into building an art portfolio. Our focus on college counseling reconfirms the constant juggling act. Elizabeth Pleshette, Latin���s director of college counseling, and Lauren Lieberman, associate director, assist students as they tackle the mechanics of the college search. But at the same time, Liz and Lauren are committed to nurturing the emotional needs of teenagers, embracing the college process as an enriching life experience full of opportunities for personal growth, and keeping everybody calm. The years between junior kindergarten and senior year are full of so many journeys, whether it is learning to read, mastering a new concept or finding the right college. As the stories here prove, the Latin community is one that takes great care in balancing the individual needs of every child . . . and ending up with happy travelers. Best regards, Shelley Greenwood Interim Head of School 2 Latin Magazine

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